Time-lock.



E. C. COX.

TIME LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13. mm.

1,1 98,895. 1mm Sept. 19, 1916,

W27 4 i ymwm.

A TTORNEYS ERNEST C. COX, OF NEVIEQRT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

TIME-LOCK.

mosses.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnfggfl Sepi 19, 19165 Application filed December 13, 1815. Serial No. 68,5?7.

To 0. 1 whom. it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Banner C. Cox, a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of Newport News, in the county of lVarwick and State of Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Time- Locks, of which the following is specification.

My invention relates to time locks, more especially to locks for automobiles, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of myinvention is to providea time lock which will prevent the operation of an automobile by securing the steering rod so that the latter cannot be turned, and

at the same time breaking the ignition circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which.

an ordinary alarm clock is used for the time piece and is so arranged that at any given time it will automatically unlock the device and close the ignition circuit, thereby permitting the operation of the machine in the normal way.

A further object oi my in i ation is to provide a device of the type described havingmeans whereby the ownenor operator of the automobile may unlock the device at any time. 7

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described, which is exceedingly simple in construction, easy to manufacture, and not liable to get out of order.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the drawin O u I I l accompanying the application, and in wh1ch F1gure 1 shows the application of the device to an automobile. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the device. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, the hinged bottom being removed, and certain parts being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line H of Fig. 2, showing a portion oi the clock. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts in a dificrent position. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the actuating mechanism of the clock. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a portion of the locking mechsupporting members 11 of the bolt into its locking anism. Fig. 8 is a perspective. view showing the hinged bottom or door.

In carrying out my invention it provide a casing l of oblong shape as shown in the drawing. This casing may be of any suitable material, but is preferably made of metal and is provided with an extension 2, the latter being in the form of a sleeve arranged to .fit over the steering post 3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and to be secured in position upon said post by means of a set screw 4, or other suitable holding device.

The casing. l is provided with a hinged bottom 5 which is attached to the casing at 6, and which is provided with the locking members Tarranged to enter registering openings 8 in the lock casing 9, said lock casing 9 being carried on the interior of the casing 1. The lock of which the casing 9 forms a part, may be of any suitable shape or form. In the present instance I have illustrated generally a combination lock, having a knoblO by means of which the lock may be set to open, but it will be understood thatan'y form of lock might be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Extending transversely of the casing are and 12, these supporting members being provided with openings 11 and 12 respectively, through which the bolt 13 of the lock is arranged to slide.

As will be observed .from Fig. 7, the bolt is t 1 provided with shoulders 13 and 13 When the latch bolt is in its locking position as shown in Fig. 2, a spring 14 which is secured to the support 11, engages the shoulder 13, thereby preventing the retraction of the bolt. The spring may be released by the clock in the mannerhereinafter shown.

In order to cause the forward movement position, I have provided a slidable plate 15 having a projecting portion or arm 16 arranged to engage the shoulder 13 of the bolt. The plate is held in normally retracted position by means of a spring 17, but may be pushed forwardly so as to force the bolt into its locking position by means of a thumb piece 18 which projects through a slot in the door 5. A spiral spring 19 is disposed betweenthe sup port 11 and the collar 20 on the inner end of th bolt 13. This tends to normally retract the bolt.

As will be seen from Figs. 2, 8, and 7, the

retraction of the bolt brings the inner end- 23, so that when the notesa shaft bearing a ofjt he bolt into engagement with a spring contact 21, and pushes the latter into engagement with a spring contact 22. These spring contacts are designed to be connected up in the ignition circuit (not shown), so that long as the bolt is retracted, the circuit is closed, while when it is in its locking position the circuit is open. The forward end of the bolt 13 is arranged to extend through registering openings in the casing 1, the steering post 3, and the steering rod bolt is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the steering rod cannot be turned with respect to the steering post, while when the'bol't is in its'retracted position, as shown in Fig. 7, the steering rod is free to turn.

The means by which the bolt is released at any predetermined time, consists of an alarm clock which I have designated in general by C. In the drawings I have shown merely the parts that relate directly to the release mechanism. In Figs. 4 and 5, 24. de-

pointer 25 which may be turned to any position on the time dial (not shown). This shaft bears a collar 26 having a lug 26*, see Fig. 6. Loosely mounted on the shaft 24 and slidable thereon, is a gear 2? whose hub 28 is provided with a recess 29,-one edge of which is parallel with the axis of the shaft 24 and the other edge is beveled as shown in Fig. 6. spring is secured at one end to the'frame of the clock and is provided with an openthrough which the shaft 2 extends. The end of the spring is forked as shown at and engages grooved collar 33 on a rod Set which extends at right angles to the spring, through the casing of the clock and into engagement with the spring 1 t. lhe

27 may be driven in any suitable manner from the winding stem of the alarm mechanism, this winding stem being shown in Fig. 6. In the present instance I shown the train as consisting of the 3 5, 37, 38, and 27, but it will be obvious that any other suitable arrangement might be used. v

from the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

device is designed to be used to prevent the theft or unlawful use of automobiles, as stated. Many times chauffeurs will use machines which are supposed to be in garages, without the consent of the owner. The device is secured to the steering post in the manner described and the time piece may be for releasing the mechanism at any predetermined time,say at? oclock a. m. The stem is turned in the usual manner to set the release mechanism, which corresponds to the ala m mechanism, thereby bringing the parts into the position shown in Fig. i. it will be noted that the shaft 24:

License proy'ects rearwardly from the clockwork, that is to say, away from the face of the clock but into such position that it may be readily reached when the door 5 is op l. A shaft 2% also projects rearwardiy and is used to wind the clock. The bolt is pushed forward into locking position by means of the thumb piece 18 and the spring is will engage the shoulder 13 so as to retain the bolt in this position, this spring 14: being held by the rod 34:. It will now be impossible to turn the steering wheel, since the steering rod is in locked condition. Furthermore the ignition circuit'is disconnected. as already described, by the separation of the contacts 21 and 22. When the hour of 7 arrives, the shaft 35 will revolve in the reverse direction, as in the case of the ordinary alarm clock. This will cause the rotation of the collar 28 through the medium of the gear train until the recess 29 comes into registration with the lug 26, whereupon the spring 30 will press the gear 27 and its col.- lar into the position shown in Fig. T. The movement of the spring will shift the rod 3st, thus relieving the tension on the spring 14: and permitting the latter to withdraw from the shoulder 13*, by its own IBSlllQIlQ' whereupon the spring 19 will retract the bolt.

It is obvious that at certain times the owner of the machine may want to use it after the time lock has been set, and to this end I have provided the lock which permitsthe opening of the bottom of the casing, giv- 100 ing access to its interior. As stated before, this is shown to be a combination look, but may be of any suitable nature. When the door is unlocked, the bolt 13 may be retracted by lifting the spring 14 from the shoul 1G5 der 13*.

- I claim 1. In a time lock for automobiles and the like, a casing, a spring pressed locking bolt carried within the casing, means for retain- 110 ing the bolt in its locking position, said I means comprising a spring arranged to engage a portion of the bolt, a slidable rod for holding the spring in operative relation with the bolt against the tension of the 115 spring, a second spring arranged'to exert tension on the rod to withdraw the rod from the first mentioned spring, and means for permitting the movement of the second named spring at a predetermined time.

2. In a time lock for automobiles and the like, a casing, a spring pressed lock bolt slidably disposed within the casing and pro vided with a shoulder, a spring having one end arranged to engage behind the shoulder, 2 a slidable rod having one end in engagement with said spring to retain the latter in its locking position, said rod having a groove at one end, a spring having a forked portion arranged to enter thegroove, said second 139 named spring temiing to force the rod from the first named spring- :1 slidable or arranged to bear on said second named. spring" for 11011112133 retaining the latter in ire initial poeition, and means for releasing the gear to permit. the movement o eeid second named splin 3. In 11 time look for zui'LOlIHrbiiQS arid the like, u fusing, a spring pressed boh; carried by the casing, said hoitbeiiig provided with a shoulder, a leaf spring}: having one emi nornmii' iii eiign ment with the shoiiiaier of the hoit for homing; the some in looking position, a s1 idabi'e rod for holding the spring in engagement \viih the bolt, A second spring for exerriog tension on the rod in the opposite dirertiou to release the leaf spring, a gear provided with a hub having a recess, a shaft passing through the center of the gear and bearing a lug arranged to enter the recess in the hub.

4-. In :i iiine lock for uutomobiies and the him, easing, spring presseu inching bolt married thereby and proride'l Wit- {L shoulder, a spring liming one end adapteii to e11- said shoulder for retaining the bolt in making position, a siiwi roii zzornmiiy in engagement W' 1 Sold n a, second spring exerting tension. on he rod to mid it in engagement v. i first named spring a shaft rotatzihi 0 any :lesireii position, a lug carried by the mount-ed for revohltion on the shait, a hub secured to said gear and haying a recess on one side thereof erranged to receive the lug when the lug is brought into registrutioi'iwith the-reee, said gear being engaged by sziiii secoi'iri named spring, and the movement of the gear along the shaft serving to permit the movement of said second named swing and the Withdrmvai of the rod from the first named spring.

ILLNESS? C.

iVitnesses Am A. CARROLL? Sims. J. Bowman. 

